Made fresh
Every cinnamon roll, cupcake and celebration cake is made fresh in my Nottingham home bakery.
Hello, I’m James
Big bakes.
Big sweet tooth.
Big ideas.
I’m the baker behind Shawly Not Bakes, a Nottingham home bakery built around fresh bakes, generous portions and the joy of watching someone take that first very good bite.
How it started
Back where I belong.
Some of my earliest cake memories are of watching my mum create amazing birthday cakes for me and my sister—castles, forts, treasure chests and even hot-air balloons. She made every birthday feel special and showed me that a cake can be part of the magic of a celebration, not just something served at the end.
I spent two years working on a farm that had its own bakery, learning the craft alongside a brilliant baker called Carl. I eventually moved on, but the urge to get back into the kitchen never really left.
Starting my own bakery had been on my mind for ages. Baking can occasionally be stressful—normally at exactly the wrong moment—but I still love it, and I’d love for Shawly Not Bakes to become my full-time job.
The best part is making something people genuinely enjoy eating. Hearing that somebody loved a cake or seeing their reaction makes every late night worthwhile. It probably helps that I have a ridiculous sweet tooth. All my friends already know it is a problem.
“Cake is the best post-run meal, right?” — James
The Shawly promise
Fresh, fun and properly generous.
Never boring
I’ll keep trying new flavours and creations. Some experiments may be better ideas than others—but that is part of the fun.
No tiny portions
Cinnamon rolls should be huge, cake slices should be generous and nobody should need a magnifying glass to find dessert.
Made responsibly
Shawly Not Bakes is registered as a food business and covered by public liability insurance. Allergen information is taken seriously.
Enough about me